Wiki Loves Africa (WLA) is an annual contest where anyone across Africa can contribute free media that is relevant to their experience to Wikimedia Commons for use on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia communities (Wikimedia movement), and also make this shared media freely available for the Humankind.
Wiki Loves Africa encourages participants to contribute media (photographs, video and audio) that illustrate the specific theme for that year. Each year the theme changes and is chosen by the community from a few universal, visually rich and culturally specific topics (for example, markets, rites of passage, festivals, public art, cuisine, natural history, urbanity, daily life, notable persons, etc).
When
The project is a competition which takes place from March 1st till April 30th 2023
Theme
Wiki Loves Africa particularly encourages participants to contribute media that illustrate a specific theme for that year. Each year the theme changes and could include any universal, visually rich and culturally specific topic (for example, markets, rites of passage, festivals, public art, cuisine, natural history, urbanity, daily life, notable persons, etc).
(*) If you wonder why there is no 2018... it is not due to skipping a year. In 2014-2015-2016-2017, the contest was taking place around October-November-December. Then in 2019, we decided to move to January-February-March to better accommodate the wikimedia community calendar of photo contests ;))
Where
The project is run at the entire African continent level. However, every year, specific actions (training, communication etc.) are held in some countries with national organisers.
Prizes
At the end of the contest, some national organizers host local ceremonies and prizes (some others do not). This is up to local teams to decide if they want to host ceremonies.
In any cases, there is a global jury, and global selection of international winners (usually between 3 to 6), with prizes.
In 2023, the international prizes are:
Photography
1st prize: US$2,000
2nd prize: US$1,500
3rd prize: US$1,000
Media (Video, Audio, Graphics, Photo Essays)
Best audio or video prize : US$750
Best Video prize: US$1,000
Best graphics : US$750
Africa Environment Video Prize: Best video representation of the impact of climate change : US$2,000
Africa Environment Special Collection Prize: Best collections of images showing the impact of climate change : US$500
Each winner might also receive a pack of branded goodies.
The project is run across the whole continent, however, some specific actions (training, communication etc.) are held in some countries with national organisers.
Wiki Loves Africa has achieved much over 9 years:
Over 88,640 images collected;
10,380 unique submitters from 55 countries;
Images viewed 1,23 billion times altogether (January 2023);
337+ events held by 32 African Wikimedia communities;
Submitted images viewed 28 million times each month (January 2023);
80% of competitors are new to Wikimedia;
An image submitted to Wiki Loves Africa’s images was given 3rd place in the 2021 Picture of the Year prize on Wikimedia Commons. Another Wiki Loves image made it to the short list. View them here
Image included in the Journeys Through Our Fragile Heritage exhibition at the UNESCO, Paris; and
Wiki Loves Africa’s ISA Tool won the Winner of the Best Multimedia Tool Prize at WikiData Conference 2019
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August 2022: Announcement of the Wiki Loves Africa 2022 winners at Wikimania 2022 virtual Conference. Consult the winning pictures.
